Current-motor.



,VNO. 7|4,778. A Patented Dec. 2,1902.'

' C. CAMPBELL.

CURRENT MOTOR.

(Application led Feb. 4, 1902.`)

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, Patented mm2, |902. C. CAMPBELL. YCURRENT MOTOR. l (Appucaticn med rah. 4, 1902.1 (No Model.) 2 Sheds-Sheet 2.

VNITED STATES CALVIN CAMPELL, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

CURRENT-MOTOR.

` SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 714,778, dated December 2, 1902.

Application iiled February 4, 1902. Serial No. 92,549. (No model.)

specification. y

` `My invention is an improved current-niotor; and it consists in the peculiar construction and combination of devices hereinafter fully set forth and claimed.

`In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is y a top plan view of acurrent-motor construct- `is a sectional view of the same, taken on a i plane indicated by theline ad of Fig. l. Fig.

3 is adetail perspective View showing a portion of the endless traveling chain, the pivotally-mounted paddles thereon,and the stoparms to hold the said paddles at an operative angle with relation to the chain.

In the' embodiment of my invention I provide an inclined way l, which is here shown as a track with rails formed of channel-iron and which leads from a point on the bank of a stream, above the level of the latter, downwardly into the bed of the stream to a point a suiiicient depthV below the level thereof. Preferably I also form a cove 2 in the bank of the stream,through which cove the inclined trackway extends outwardlyland downwardly into and under the surface of the stream,and this cove is here shown as formed by walls 3, which may be made of masonry or otherwise constructed and which are preferably disposed at right angles to the current of the i` p the walls-3 3EL above the cove.

stream. The downstream-wall 3*' projects outwardly somewhat farther into the current than the upstream-wall. -A suitable door f1, as for a dock or wharf, may be supported by The current-motor is here shown as provided with a triangular frame 5, provided with supporting-wheels 6, which operate on and are received in the channel-iron rails of y the inclined trackway and which adapt the their bearings. For the purposes of this specification I show a cable 7, which is attached to the upper side of the frame 5 and which leads to a windlass (not shown) or other suitable means for raising and lowering the frame 5. The latter is parallel with the inclinedtrackway, and hence is laterally inclined, so that when lowered and run out on the trackway the lower side 8 of the frame, which constitutes the base of the triangle, will be disposed below the level of the stream and in the current thereof. This base or lower side of the frame is disposed obliquely with reference to the current, as is shown in Fig. l, the direction of the current being indicated by the arrow 0c. The corners of the frame 5 are rounded, and the sides of the rame are channeled` peripherally, as at 9, to `form a guideway which extends entirely around the outside of the frame. l

In the upper corner of the triangularframe 5 is a sprocket-wheel 10, which is fast on an axle-shaft 1l, that is mounted in suitable bearings 12 with which the frame is provided, and the said axle-shaft is here shown as ex- `tending upwardly from the sprocket-wheel and as provided atits upper end with a powerpulley 13, which is engaged by an endless traveling flexible power-conveying element 14, here shown as an endless power-cable to communicate power to a similar pulley. (Not here shown.) The upper side of the sprocketwheel projects into the rounded upper corner of the frame 5 and into the channeled guideway 9 thereof.

An endless traveling element, here shown as a chain 15, operates and is disposed on the sides of the frame 5, and at the pivotal joints 16, between the respective links of the said chains, are mounted antifriction-rollers 16, which operate in the peripheral guideway 9 of the frame 5 and are engaged by the sprocketwheel 10, so that the motion of the said endless traveling chain imparted thereto by the action of the current, as hereinafter described, causes the sprocket-wheel 10 to rotate, as will be understood. The lower side 8 of the frame 5 is. provided with a guardll', which prevents the lower lead of the chain from sagging and also prevents the channel 9 in the lower side of the frame from becoming obstructed by submerged ioating objects.

A series of paddles 18 are pivotally connected to the endless traveling chain, preferably by certain of the pivots 16 of the links of the latter, a suitable number of the said paddles being employed and the same being disposed at suitable regulardistances-apart. As here shown, the paddles 18 are disposed on the upper side of the chain 15 and are provided at their lower sides with base-flanges 19, the inner ends of which are prolonged and pivoted upon the pivots 16 of the chain, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Thereby the said paddles are adapted toswing and to be disposed at any desired angle with reference to the respective leads of the chain. The latter is further provided with outstanding stoparms 20, which are disposed on the rear sides of the pivoted paddles 18 and are secured on certain of the links of the chain. The outer ends of the said stop-arms are disposed in the paths of the pivoted paddles, and the former on the lower effective lead of the chain, when the current-motor has been lowered so that the lower side thereof is in and below the level of the current, engage the paddles and hold the same approximately at right angles to the current, as shown in Fig. 1, so that the chain is driven by the force ofthe current and is caused to travel continuously around the periphery of the frame. The oblique disposition of the lower side of the frame and of the lower lead of the chain, hereinbefore described, and shown in Fig. 1, with reference to the current enables thelatter to be elfective on all of the submerged paddles on the lower lead of the chain.

The lateral inclination of the current-motor, caused by its disposition on the inclined trackway 1, causes the upper side of the current-motor to be above the level of the stream, as is indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, thus facilitating the operation of the current-motor and increasing the power thereof by reducing friction. As the pivoted paddles pass the lower corner of the frame 5 they swing by gravity out of contact with the stop-arms 20- and turn to a position parallel with the current while they are submerged and swing against the chain as they are carried upwardly thereby out of the stream. As the pivoted paddles enter the current and are carried past the lower upstream corner of the frame they are swung outwardly by the force of the current against the stop-arms, as hereinbefore described.

Having thus described my invention, I claiml. In combination with an inclined way leading from a point above to a point below the level of a stream, a laterally-inclined cu rrent-motor having a frame mounted to travel on said way and to be thereby raised from and to have one side lowered into the stream, said motor including an endless traveling element and paddles carried thereby, substantially as described.

2. In combination with au inclined way leading from a point above to a point below the level of a stream, a laterally-inclined current-motor having a frame mounted to travel on said way and to be thereby raised from and to have one side lowered into the stream, said motor including an endless traveling element, pivoted paddles, carried by. said endless traveling element, and stops also on said endless traveling element to secure the paddies on the operative lead of the chain against the force of the curren, substantially as de-Y scribed.

3. In combination with an inclined trackway leading from a point above to a point in and below the level of a stream, a laterallya inclined current-motor mounted to travel on said trackway and to be thereby raised from and to have one side lowered into the stream, said motor comprising a frame having sides disposed at an angle to each other, an endless traveling element guided on the sides of the frame, pivoted paddles carried by said endless traveling element, means to limit the outward swing of the paddles, and a powerwheel engaged and rotated by said endless traveling element, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as lny own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CALVIN CAMPBELL.

Witnesses:

A. KNU'rsoN, B. F. WILLIS. 

